China to send envoy to the Middle East to pursue mediation

Istanbul — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday, 4 March, that China will send a special envoy to the Middle East to involve regional countries in mediation efforts. Wang Yi made the remarks during a telephone conversation with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, according to Xinhua News Agency, a government-run press outlet in China. In a separate conversation with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Wang Yi said that amid the conflict, ‘a red line to protect civilians must not be crossed’. He also expressed Beijing’s support for resolving the dispute through diplomacy. Wang also contacted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and told him that the use of military force against Iran would not resolve the crisis. Tensions in the Middle East have risen after the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran from 28 February, killing more than 850 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and more than 150 primary school girls, according to Iranian authorities. Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting US-related sites in Gulf states, causing many casualties. Six US military personnel were reported killed and several others injured. China has repeatedly opposed the US and Israel’s strikes against Iran. At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, Beijing condemned the strikes that targeted children in conflict zones following reports of air strikes that killed dozens of schoolgirls in Iran. Source: Anadolu Agency